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(ModeL) LLP'. KEEGH.

LETTER AND BILL FILE BOOK.

No. 309,858. Patented Dec. 30, 1884.

ivrrien Srarns PATENT @rrica;

LAWSON r. KEEGH, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK- -LETTER ANDBILL Fl LE BOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,858, dated December30, 1884.

' Application filed October 10,1883 (Modeh) tembcr 2, 1873, and November17, 1874, and

it is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, to which reference ismade.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the file-bokcomplete. Fig. 2 is an end view of the beveled clamping-bars with papersbetween them, and Fig. 3 is a view of the .back of the file-book withthe metallic hinge-arm connections of the bars. a view of the filingimplement hereinafter described.

To the rear edge of each of the covers 0 is connected, by a flexiblejoint, 0, a cast-metal bar, A, the inner side of which is beveled, asshown, so as to produce a clamping-edge, a.

On the outer edges of the bars A: are cast or otherwise secured lugsZrb', in which are pivoted one end of steel hinge-arms B B, the outerends of which are pivoted together at b".

It will be observed that the lugs 7) and I) are placed at differentdistances from the ends of the bars, and that the arms B B are ofcorrespondingly different lengths. This arrangement enables the lugs topass one another when the bars approach each other, so that theclamping-edges a thereof may be brought closely together and secure evena single sheet of paper.

Near the ends of the bars A are formed notches d, which receive elasticrings D, acting to press the bars together, and allowing them to bereadily forced apart for the insertion of additional sheets.

By combining the steel hinge-arms with the cast-metal beveled bars inthe manner described I attain the desired effect of holding the latterin rigid position, parallel from side to side, so that their angles meetwhen they come together, and as they are separated to receive the sheetsfiled and drawn toward Fig. 41s

each other again by the strain of the elastic rings they impinge,nipper-like, upon the sheets or volume, about half an inch from the backedge, in exactly opposite points on each side, whereby the papers areallowed to swell or expand from the impinging point toward the back edgein a dovetail form, and the volume is thus held firmly foruse in book.form. As the bars clamp closely together, the volume maybe commencedwith a single sheet without an index, if desired, as by simply slippingoff the elastics from the top bar and allowing them to remain around thebottom bar the top bar, with cover, is easily raised sufliciently, thesheets to be filed are laid in against the hingedarms, and then theclasties are replaced.

\Vhen index separating sheets are used and letters or sheets arerequired to be in serted between them without removing theelastic bands,I employ the filer shown in Fig. 4, which consists of a strip of sheetmetal folded and having turned .in one of its edges a stiff wire, oneend of which is extended as a handle. The edge of the sheet to beinserted in the book is slipped into the fold of the filer, and afterprojecting the handle through the elastic band at the bottom of the bookthe filer is pressed down between the leaves until it strikes thehinge-arms, where upon the sheet is held in place by one hand, while thefiler is by the other withdrawn endwise through the band.

I do not claim herein this filing implement, as it is made the subjectof another applica tion for patent filed by me April 10, 1.884, SerialNo. 127,385.

The covers 0 being flexibly connected to theclamping-bars, they may bethrown open readily for the inspection of the contents of the book.

Vhen the holder becomes sufficiently filled, the contents may bewithdrawn bodily and placed in a box for preservation, and the holderused again and repeatedly; or the'holder, with contents, may be adoptedas a per- Inanent book for preservation and reference, in which case theelastics may be removed and cord substituted and tied.

I elai1n and provided with lugs Z) Z), the hinge'arms 1. The file-bookconstructed substantially B B, pivoted together and to the lugs, and mas described, having its beveled clampingthe elastic rings D, fitting onthe ends of the bars A connected together at their back edges bars, allsubstantially as described. 5 by jointed hinge-arms and at their ends byLAXVSON P. KEECH.

elastic rings D, 'as set forth. \Vitnesses:

2. The file-book consisting of the beveled \V. O. Knnon, clampingbars Aa, jointed to the covers C, B. F. MORSEL'L.

